This invention relates to a ventilation hood with a safety system for use with a cooktop. More particularly, the invention relates to a ventilation hood with a safety system designed to substantially reduce the possibility of a fire occurring in the ventilation hood and ductwork thereof, as well as reducing humidity resulting from steam generated by the operation of the cooktop. The invention further relates to a combination of a ventilation hood and cooktop system, as well as a method of operation of a ventilation hood and a cooktop.
A number of ventilation hood control units are known for reducing the spread of smoke resulting from cooking operations on cooktops, as well as for removing humidity caused by steam resulting from cooking on the cooktop.
One known system provides a control or regulating device for a stove which activates, deactivates, controls and regulates the heat energy of cooking zones of the stove in dependence upon the resulting cooking steam. The control device and corresponding sensor of such a system is installed in the ventilation hood associated with the stove. Such a system is primarily focused on controlling the level of steam detected, to control operation of the cooking zones and not the ventilation fan. The makers of the system list as one of its advantages achieving a substantial savings of energy.
Another prior art system proposes a smart circuit device for a smoke exhauster for cooking. The circuit device includes a sensing circuit for sensing temperature and smoke. The motor of the fan and the exhauster is controlled to operate at a rotation speed conducive to reducing noise and save energy. The fan speed is varied in response to the quantity of smoke and is controlled by a fuzzy logic controller.
Yet still another system for a commercial or institutional kitchen provides that the volume rate of a cooking exhaust may be increased to improve the general comfort, health and safety conditions in the kitchen and the rest of the facility. More particularly, such a system senses a parameter in the ambient air environment such as temperature and/or gas level. Depending on the activity of the cooking units, the air control system causes the exhaust system to increase the volume rate to a higher volume rate to exhaust more air from the ambient air environment, thereby reducing the temperature in the facility to improve comfort and reduce load on an high volume air conditioning (HVAC) system.
While all of these systems provide advantages in reducing ambient smoke and/or steam for the purpose of providing a comfortable environment for persons using a cooktop, these conventional systems still fall short in providing an optimized arrangement designed to minimize fires occurring in ventilation hoods and cooktops.
More particularly, the use of cooktops in an incorrect manner contrary to a manufacturer's instructions can cause a fire. Many current gas cooktops have burners which can operate at energy levels of greater than 15,000 BTUs. Such cooktops include four to six burners and the simultaneous operation of multiple ones of these burners for a long period of time can overheat ventilation elements exhaust ducts.
The overheating of ventilation elements exhaust ducts is particularly of concern in circumstances in which such ventilation hoods and elements in ducts have accumulated oils and fat in the duct tubes thereof as such oils and fats are entrained with gases and/or vapors being drawn through the ventilation hood duct during cooking operations. If the heat conditions above the cooktop exceeds certain parameters such as may occur, for example, as a result of a flame, or through use of many of the high BTU burners at one time, a substantial portion of the heat generated may be drawn into the duct system and cause a fire as a result of, among other reasons, the ignition of the oils or fat accumulated in the duct tubes.
In accordance with the invention, there is provided a ventilation hood with a safety system, a combination of a ventilation hood with a cooktop and a method of controlling operation of a ventilation hood and cooktop, which avoids the problems of the previously discussed conventional systems, and which substantially reduces or eliminates the danger of fire occurring in the duct work of the ventilation hood as a result of operation of the cooktop.